1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an output processing apparatus having a so-called finishing function that includes, for example, an editing function in a printing process, an output processing method and a program therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of digital copiers having a finishing function has spread, provided mainly by a unit called a finishing unit that includes a sorting function, for sorting multiple printed matters in accordance with individual copies, a stapling function, for stapling the individual copies, and a Nin1 function (N denotes the number of pages included on one sheet), for arranging the layout of multiple pages on one sheet. When the digital copier is employed by itself, an operator, for example, can designate the finishing function by manipulating the operation panel of the digital copier.
Not only is the digital copier used by itself, but also, the digital copier can be connected to a host computer via various types of interfaces, so that a system can be constructed wherein image data received from the host computer are output by the digital copier. In such a system, when a driver program for controlling the digital copier is prepared in the host computer connected to the digital copier, the finishing function, which is to be performed in association with a printing request, can be designated via a user interface provided by the driver program. In this case, the host computer writes the designation of the finishing function in a printer job header, for example, in accordance with a data form that agrees with the digital copier, and transmits print data, as the main body of a print job, to the digital copier. Upon receiving the job, the digital copier analyzes the designation written in the header for the finishing function, and performs the designated function at the same time as the printing.
As is described above, when the driver program for controlling the digital copier has been prepared in the host computer, the finishing function can be employed by the host computer. However, in a case wherein a driver program corresponding to the function of the digital copier that is employed has not been prepared in the host computer, i.e., in a driverless environment, the finishing function cannot be designated by the host computer.
As a method whereby the host computer designates the finishing function in a driverless environment, a technique is disclosed according to which specific email addresses and specific finishing function setups are correlated with each other in advance, and when a print job is transmitted to an email address corresponding to a desired finishing function, a printing process using this finishing function can be performed (e.g., patent document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Application No. 2003-46690 (corresponding to US AA2003025934)). According to the method described in patent document 1, however, even in a driverless environment, so long as email software for the transmission/reception of email has been prepared in the host computer the finishing function can be designated.
While the finishing processing (the post-processing) can be designated using the finishing designation method that employs the email software described in patent document 1, there is no way that the user of the host computer can easily ascertain what kind of finishing function is available at the digital copier that will do the printing. For example, it is very difficult to ascertain whether a digital copier that is employed for printing has a stapling function for stapling individual copies and a Nin1 function for designing a layout for multiple pages. Conversely, according to the method described in patent document 1, one requirement is that a user know, in advance, what functions are available at a digital copier and the email addresses that can be employed to access and use the functions. A further requirement is that a correlation between the email addresses and the functions be established by the digital copier.
Further, conventionally, when correlations between the functions available at a digital copier and the email addresses are somehow identified, there is no danger of a conflict condition arising that involves any of the functions. In other words, even when, for example, double-sided OHP printing by a digital copier is inhibited, a print job request can still be transmitted that includes the inhibited conditions, “OHP printing+double-sided”. As a result, either double-sided printing or OHP printing is ignored, or both setup conditions are ignored. This problem does not occur when a driver program prepared in a host computer is employed for each digital copier, because the driver program notifies the digital copier of a conflict in advance.